Seasons of Love
by Kitsune Moonstar
Summary: The seasons change, but some things remain. Shunsui and Nanao throughout the year.
1. Summer

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

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**Seasons of Love**

**Summer**

For all their differences in personality, both Shunsui and Nanao were summer children. Their birthdays were only four days apart. The week of their birthdays was one of the few times during the year when Nanao allowed herself to simply be Nanao rather than Vice-captain Ise. That one week was customary spent with her being dragged around by her captain in order that she relax and have a good time. Nanao wouldn't admit it publicly, but she enjoyed and looked forward to that week.

It always ended up being completely unprofessional, and Nanao had taken to getting the paperwork for that particular week done well in advance. She might grumble about it a little, but in the end, she always ended up wearing yukatas for the week and letting Shunsui treat her to festival food and participating in all sorts of activities that she would normally never do.

The best part of summer were the nights. Most nights were spent either on the division roof or one of its porches. Shunsui would sip his sake, and they would watch the stars and the fireflies. More often than not, she would end up falling asleep on his shoulder and wake up the next morning tucked in her own bed. Her captain never commented on those nights, and Nanao never brought the subject up.

Summer was fun. It infected the other divisions as well leading to occurrences such as trips to the beach and inter-divisional watermelon eating contests. There were festival nearly every other week and lots of opportunities for fun. Summer was an excuse. It was summer. It was the right time of the year to be eating shaved ice for lunch. Paperwork never got done quickly in the summer. It wasn't just the Eighth that was slacking off either.

And there was always one night during the summer when she was a little tipsy (though not drunk, she doesn't get drunk) from the sake Shunsui insisted they share, that Nanao would be bold enough to steal a kiss or two from her captain. The next morning she woke up in his bed rather than her own. Nanao didn't mention it, and neither did Shunsui. The warm, lazy kisses increased in frequency on warm summer nights, and a warm body beside her in bed eliminated the need for any covers if there was a chill breeze.


	2. Fall

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

* * *

**Seasons of Love**

**Fall**

Fall always reminded Shunsui of his beloved Nanao-chan. Brisk and crisp, it fit her business personality. Fall was always busy. Nanao seemed to feel the need to make up for the slacking that often occurred in the summer. She bustled around like an autumn wind, reordering things to her satisfaction. He did his best to stay out of her way.

Still, fall was also a restful season. The changing of the leaves provided lovely scenery, and the weather was still warm enough for afternoon naps under maple trees. These were almost always disturbed by his efficient vice-captain coming to hound him with paperwork, but Shunsui couldn't really complain about that.

Especially not on the occasional days when he could tempt his Nanao-chan to sit with him awhile under the autumn leaves. She wouldn't drink sake with him, not during the working hours, but she could be enticed with fresh baked cakes filled with sweet red bean paste. They only made the maple shaped ones in the autumn, and they were his Nanao-chan's favorites.

Once he convinced her to at least eat one, Nanao could typically be coaxed to sit with him at least a half hour before she remembered her work. And on the occasion of Nanao having a rather bad day, he had convinced her to rest with her head in his lap and just watch the red and gold leaves for a few hours. These were the best moments of the fall, just the two of them in a world of their own. Shunsui even convinced her to join him for the moon viewing and would keep the delightful image of his Nanao in one of her kimonos sipping sake while illuminated by the full moon in his mind forever as well as in a sketch on the wall of his bedroom.

Of course, fall brought other benefits as well. The nights started growing colder, and Nanao couldn't stand being chilled at night. So Shunsui got to spend most nights with his lovely vice-captain curled up at his side. Nanao also had the tendency to cuddle in her sleep something he didn't mind at all. Cool autumn evenings were spent curled up together, Nanao with a book and himself with a cup of sake. They were quieter nights than most of the summer nights the pair spent together, but somehow they felt a little more intimate. These nights were seldom disturbed by drunken revelers as the summer ones were. And Shunsui had to admit more often than not the book and the sake were abandoned before to long.


	3. Winter

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

* * *

**Seasons of Love**

**Winter**

Nanao loved winter's beauty but not its temperature. She was a summer child after all and easily chilled. Still, it was restful. Her captain was less likely to be wandering off with snow covering the ground. Yes, he was a distraction in the office, but he was a familiar distraction, and most of the time he didn't hinder her efficiency. Besides, his presence had always been soothing to her when he wasn't trying to flirt with her.

The office was always nice and warm. The one thing Nanao hated most about the winter was being cold, and she hated risking getting sick. Shunsui was far too overprotective. One sneeze and Nanao would find herself immediately bundled off to the Fourth. Typically, it was nothing to worry about, but you couldn't convince her captain of that.

There were good things about winter. It was an excuse to stay cuddled in bed with Shunsui for far longer than she would normally allow herself. And she didn't mind snuggling with Shunsui while watching a snowy garden and sipping tea. Winter allowed her to bend her rules about physical contact while working. Shunsui's hands were always warm, and Nanao didn't mind having her hand trapped in his.

At least once in the winter, Nanao would let him coax her into joining one of the many snowball fights that cropped up. The inter-divisional ones were the best as long as you weren't fighting the Tenth. They always won any fight in the snow. Nanao blamed their captain. Typically, the Eighth and Thirteenth teamed up to fight their opponents. They were sometimes joined by the Fourth and the Tenth. The only divisions that had better records in the snow ball wars were the Tenth and the Eleventh. The Eleventh never teamed up with anyone else though.

Truthfully, her favorite part of winter was the long cold nights. Nanao loved snuggling under a thick layer of covers with Shunsui. There she was safe and warm, and the concerns of their jobs couldn't touch her. Here in bed with him was where she was most content. And should a chill somehow find her, Shunsui was always willing to warm her up.


	4. Spring

Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

* * *

**Seasons of Love**

**Spring**

Spring was perhaps his favorite season. Shunsui enjoyed the change from winter's starkness to the new green of life renewing itself. It was the season of cherry blossoms and naps out under their trees. It drove his Nanao-chan crazy. To her, spring was a time for cleaning and organization. When she announced it was time for the annual division cleaning, he headed for the hills with a few bottles of sake. As much as he loved his Nanao-chan, Shunsui had no intention of dealing with her in a cleaning mood.

But Nanao appreciated spring as well. She liked to spend rainy spring days curled up in his arms with a book, and she loved it when the first flowers of spring began to appear. Showering her with bouquets was sure to get earn him her glares, but he had found that a small vase of spring flowers was much appreciated by his Nanao-chan. She liked the little things rather than grand gestures, and sometimes he accommodated her wishes. But it was so much fun to get her all riled up that he couldn't help himself some of the time.

Nanao-chan could be convinced to join him for the annual cherry blossom viewing. It was one of his favorite events of the year. Nanao would even dress up; her spring furisode was his favorite: pale pink with a pattern of white cherry blossoms with an obi of pale gold. They would find a spot under the trees removed from the rest of the revelers. Shunsui always loved a party, but this one was just for the two of them. Nanao always procured them a lunch of both their favorite festival foods, and he supplied the sake. The rest of the day and the evening as well were then spent together under the blooming trees.

Spring nights carried a hint of warmth in the air, but it wasn't so hot as to drive his lady from his arms. The spring moonlight illuminated her skin beautifully making her pale skin appear marble like. But what he loved most was the sight of her in the pale light of a spring morning wrapped in only his pink haori. She always woke before him, and he would often just lie in bed watching her sip tea as light began to fill the world. It was always the perfect beginning of a day.


End file.
